Waveless
by The Tox
Summary: Haruka can't bring himself to enter his bathtub. Light MakoHaru, takes place after episode 6.


The windows were misted over by the steam raising from the warm water. Haruka bent down and turned off the water tap, and then stripped to his swimsuit. His face was expressionless, as he saw it reflected on the water surface. Almost hesitantly, he reached out to dip his fingers.

Quickly, he withdrew his hand, as soon as he made contact. His calm mask faded, and he glared at the water. He took the nearest item he found, a brush, and flung it at his bathtub.

It sunk to the bottom, and he fell to the floor, where he remained. Still facing the bathtub, and never taking his eyes off it.

A few days past, the water had tried taking Makoto from him. How could he trust something so cruel? How could he embrace it like always, and pretend that nothing had happened?

The mist faded from the mirror and windows, as the water temperature cooled. The room grew colder, and Haruka never stopped glaring. He couldn't bring himself to reach into the water and pull out the plug so that it would go away, either.

The ringing of the doorbell awoke him from his daze. Yet he remained in his spot until he heard a familiar sigh, and the bathroom door sliding open.

"Huh? Haru?" Makoto asked in confusion, as he entered the room. "Why are you dry?" Haruka looked up to him, and blinked slowly, catlike. Then he returned his gaze towards the bathtub, and resumed glaring.

Makoto was still for a moment. He crouched down to the floor, and sat next to Haruka without looking at him.

"Are you angry with the water?" he asked softly. It never ceased to amaze Haruka how his closest friend could read him so well, but he neither denied nor confirmed the assumption.

Silence brew, and Haruka became even colder. When he got goose bumps, Makoto reached towards a towel hanging on the wall, and gently put it around his shoulders. The thank you was wordless.

Eventually Makoto spoke once more, asking only: "Why?"

Haruka wrapped the towel closer around his body. Staring straight ahead, he swallowed, even though his mouth was already dry, same as his body.

"It tried taking you away." He wondered why he had said it. Had he looked to the side, he would see Makoto with a dumbfounded expression, but he knew it was there without having to check.

"Haru…" Makoto said. "I am fine."

"You almost weren't." Haruka was thankful to have the towel to hide his face. "The water almost took you. I can't forgive that."

Makoto stared down at the floor. With a small, mysterious smile to adorn his face, he said "I would hate to be the reason for you to turn away from the water."

There he went again, blaming himself, Haruka thought solemnly. His anger faded to make way for sorrow.

"What are you planning to do?" Makoto asked. "Never swim again? Quit the team?"

Haruka thought about it.

"Swimming… You're meant to swim. When I see you swimming, I see you at your happiest," Makoto went on. He turned to look at the towel covered head belonging to Haruka, with a lighter smile. "And won't the water miss you if you stay away?"

"The water should have thought about that before trying to take what's mine," Haruka muttered angrily. He expected a short laugh from Makoto after a line like that, but instead was met with silence. It perplexed him, and so he took off the towel and looked to his side, to see if Makoto was all right.

He had never seen Makoto blush like that.

In confusion, Haruka deadpanned: "Do you have a fever?"

Nervously, Makoto fake-chuckled. "Oh, no, don't worry. I was just thinking… and, you can't be serious about staying angry, can you?"

Averting his eyes, Haruka cocked his head to the side. He knew that the answer was no… but he needed time to heal.

Makoto smiled, reading his expression perfectly.

"Let's get you dressed then," he decided. "And grill mackerel," he added kindly. The mere word had Haruka's stomach grumbling, so it was useless to resist.

They stood at the same time, as if though sharing a body, and Haruka picked up his clothes to get dressed again. When they were about to leave, he cast one final look at the bathtub. Without speaking a word, Makoto adhered his request, and put his hand into the water, pulling the plug.

Haruka stared wide eyed at the way the water coiled around Makoto's arm. Not cruel, like the day before. It was welcoming Makoto's touch, with no ill intent in sight. Soon, it had all flown off, and the bathtub was empty.

Makoto put his hand on Haruka's back, gently pushing him out of the bathroom, and he finally looked away from it. The next day, he swam.


End file.
